Yan Qingqing was just trying to scare Consort Yu. She already knew what had happened in the Golden Hall and what had happened to Lord Wu.

There are also rumors, and although she tries her best to avoid them, people can say whatever they want.

Besides, only mediocre people are not envied, so she assumed that others were just jealous of her.

Besides, she earned her current life through years of hard work; how could she just die like those old fogies?

Today is Madam Pei's birthday, and Yan Qingqing didn't want things to get ugly, so she took the opportunity to say, "I'll give you face today, Madam, but if I hear anything similar again, I will definitely go to the Golden Palace to demand justice."

Madam Pei, feeling indebted to Yan Qingqing, held her hand and said that the good child had been wronged.

The arrival of Consort Yu put them in an awkward situation.

Just as Madam Pei was about to say something to ease the tension, another servant rushed in and said, "Something terrible has happened! Miss Qian has fallen into the water!"

Although the Qian and Pei families disagreed on political matters, they still maintained appearances in private, and the Qian family naturally attended Old Madam Pei's birthday celebration.

Upon hearing this, Madam Pei frowned and asked, "What kind of work are you doing? How could you let Miss Qian fall into the water? It's so cold outside, she'll freeze to death. Quickly get some quilts and prepare a charcoal brazier to warm Miss Qian up."

Heaven help me, how can such a delicate girl endure this?

Although Madam Pei said this, her lips were turned up in a smirk, and if the occasion were not inappropriate, she would have burst out laughing.

The Qian family is a bunch of troublemakers, just like Consort Yu. They're always infuriating, and she's had a long time since she'd hadn't liked them.

Grandma Pei still had a good sense of the big picture, and said to Madam Pei, "Go and take a look. After all, the person fell into the water in our own home."

"Sigh, even my birthday celebration can't give this old woman a moment's peace."

Seeing that Madam Pei looked tired, Yan Qingqing, being very perceptive, also took her leave.

Naturally, Xiao Mochen and Ling Ziyuan also came out.

Madam Pei looked at Yan Qingqing and said, "Come on, sister, come with me to take a look. We have nothing else to do anyway."

As for Mo Chen, you and Lord Ling should go to the front yard to find your uncle. He said he wanted to discuss something with you a couple of days ago.

Xiao Mochen nodded upon hearing this. The backyard was full of women, and it was indeed not a place for men like them to stay.

Then he turned to Yan Qingqing and instructed her, "Aunt, I'm going now. If you need anything, just send someone to the front yard to find me."

Upon hearing this, Yan Qingqing smiled and replied, "Alright, you should go now. Your aunt is an adult; she can take good care of herself."

Xiao Mochen and Ling Ziyuan then went to the front yard with peace of mind.

Madam Pei didn't care about anything else. She pulled Yan Qingqing and walked towards the lake.

Consort Yu, watching the two figures disappear into the distance, felt her eyes grow even more gloomy.

She, a concubine of the emperor, is standing here, and they pretend not to see her? Fine, just you wait and see.

When her son becomes emperor, she will have all those who have defied her torn apart by five horses.

As Madam Pei pulled Yan Qingqing along, she felt the gaze behind her growing increasingly cold and intense.

However, she didn't care; her intention today was simply to deliberately provoke Consort Yu.

People are only driven to the brink of desperation when they resort to extreme measures, and once they go to extremes, they are more likely to make mistakes.

This is where the opportunity to make a mistake comes from.

When Yan Qingqing and her friends arrived at the lake, the Qian family's daughter had already been pulled from the water. There were quite a few onlookers nearby.

However, Miss Qian was soaking wet, her hair was disheveled, and the powder on her face had melted away. The weather in November was already very cold, and she was shivering despite being wrapped in a quilt.

Madam Pei instructed, "Quickly take Miss Qian to her room to change into some dry clothes, and then have the kitchen prepare some ginger soup. Make sure she doesn't catch a cold."

Upon hearing this, a servant standing nearby said with difficulty, "It's Miss Qian who refuses to go."

Madam Pei was somewhat surprised to hear this. In such cold weather, she was in such a disheveled state. Most young ladies would want to hide as soon as possible, but Miss Qian was quite strange.

Yan Qingqing initially felt a little sorry for the girl's disheveled state, but the girl's next words made Yan Qingqing's sympathy vanish instantly.

Miss Qian pointed at Li Yueniang and Mu Xi and said, "It must have been them who did this, otherwise how could I have fallen into the lake for no reason?"

Yan Qingqing: ……

Is this girl mentally ill? What does her falling into the lake have to do with Yue Niang and Mu Xi?

At this moment, Madam Qian appeared out of nowhere, hugging Miss Qian to keep warm while pointing at Li Yueniang and the other woman and cursing, "Who are you girls? How could you act so viciously? Who would dare to marry you in the future?"

"You dared to push my daughter into the water; the Qian family will never let you get away with this!"

Pei Lingji and Qian were from four of the most powerful families in the capital. Li Yueniang and Mu Xi were unfamiliar faces, and no one recognized them. They thought they were girls from some humble family.

Offending the Qian family could spell the end for the entire family, and onlookers couldn't help but cast sympathetic glances at the two.

Li Yueniang was quick-witted. Seeing this, she quickly hid behind Yan Qingqing and said in a frightened manner, "Mother, I really didn't push Miss Qian into the water."

She just scolded me, saying I'm talentless and immoral and not worthy of Han Zhuangyuan at all.

Only a young lady from a prestigious family like her could be worthy of the top scholar.

Even though she cursed at me like that, Sister Muxi wouldn't let me argue with her and pulled me away.

Who knew that Miss Qian got so caught up in her cursing that she slipped and fell into the lake in her excitement.

We even called for help to rescue her.

Those who were watching over the area understood the reason after hearing this, and they all pointed and whispered about Miss Qian.

Miss Qian retorted indignantly, "I was clearly still quite a distance from the lake. If you hadn't sabotaged me, how could I have fallen into the lake?"

Upon hearing this, Yan Qingqing's face darkened, and she said, "Miss Qian, you are repaying kindness with enmity and making baseless accusations."

If it weren't for Yue Niang and the others finding someone to rescue you, you might still be soaking in the lake right now.

Although we come from a small place, my daughter, Lady Mingzhao, is not so easily bullied.

You say they pushed you into the lake, but they were so far away from you, do you have any proof?

Miss Qian had no evidence whatsoever; she simply felt her body uncontrollably fall into the lake and instinctively assumed it was Li Yueniang and Mu Xi who did it. However, she couldn't produce any concrete proof.

When the people around heard that it was Lady Mingzhao, they all gasped. She was a ruthless woman who could divorce her husband for her.

There's going to be a good show when Lady Mingzhao clashes with the Qian family.

However, many ladies and young women have seen significant improvements in their skin after using their Rouge House skincare products.

Moreover, the Qian family usually acts domineeringly and has bullied men and women quite a bit, so many people were worried for Yan Qingqing.